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Darkstep
Darkstep is a secretive organization that originally sprung from the Hierophancy of Heol in the Black Morass, over a thousand years before the coming of the Horde. Under the Hierophancy, they acted as inquisitors and secret police, ensuring that none dared challenge the hegemony of the Chief Hierophant. After the Arathorian Conquest and the purging of the Hierophancy, Darkstep was reorganized into a secular organization, serving as spies and guerrilla forces for House Saint-Auguste. It survived the Horde invasion and continues to operate to this day. Known History Very little public record exists of Darkstep's activities. Due to the Church's purging of Hierophancy records after the Arathorian Conquest, scholars cannot even effectively date Darkstep's emergence as an organization. The earliest recorded appearance of the Darkstep is in the year 899 P.C. at the Battle of the Sorrow, in which they acted as skirmishers and sentries for the Agusti army. Darkstep was considered defunct by the year 852 P.C., when Baroness Valencia Saint-Auguste passed away, though they had been reconstituted by 794 P.C. at the latest as a secular organization under the command of House Saint-Auguste. Darkstep has had a recorded Commander ever since, even during the First and Second Wars after the barony's destruction. Rumors As one can imagine of an organization as long-lived and secretive as this, there are many rumors associated with Darkstep. Assassination of Iodus Northour Modern Augustholm arose after the assassination of Baron Iodus Northour of Strom and the conversion of Baroness Valencia Auguste to the Light. It is widely accepted by scholars of the period that Darkstep was at least in part responsible for this assassination attempt. However, there is also speculation that Valencia conspired with Darkstep to conduct the assassination in such a way that Iodus would be killed, along with the Stromic guards, but herself and her infant son would be spared. Assassination of Ashdon Saint-Auguste During Stormwind's War for Independence, Baron Ashdon Valyrian Saint-Auguste was rumored to be a sympathizer for Stormwind's cause and is believed to have arranged a meeting with Stormwind separatists to propose an alliance against their Stromic masters. Ashdon never made it to this meeting, however, being ambushed on the road by alleged Stormwind skirmishers, which also coincided with the sudden but natural death of Ashdon's aging steward Roltair. Ashdon's half-brother Maxias, Commander of the Darkstep, then inherited the barony, and swore his allegiance to House Northour. Reclamation of Shade's End It is known that the residents of Shade's End organized a guerrilla resistance effort against Horde occupiers during the First and Second Wars, an effort which would ultimately result in the reclamation of the town almost a full year before the Alliance reclaimed the rest of the barony. Many attribute this to the sheer tenacity of the irregular militia, but some believe that the residents of Shade's End were involved with the Darkstep. Of this number, some go farther to claim that the Darkstep intended to put their Commander, Marlowe Weard, in power in a reformed barony centered at Shade's End. Of ''this ''number, a select few are so bold to suggest that the Darkstep sabotaged Valyrian's Wall to help the Horde's invasion to ensure Weard's rise to power. These conspiracy theorists are largely dismissed, as Weard voluntarily ceded control back to his friend Barathen Valyrian after the latter's return from exile. Hierophancy of Heol Many believe that the Darkstep still have ties to the Hierophancy of Heol, either continuing to do the dark political work of the Hierophancy (presumed to be acting from exile or in hiding) or keeping alive the ritualistic practices on their own. Those few who have witnessed the Darkstep in battle and are brave enough to start rumors about them say that Darkstep Rangers' eyes glow red in the darkness, that they chant twisted songs as they do battle, that they cut out the hearts of their targets and consume them for power. There is of course no proof that the Hierophancy still exists or that any of their practices remain extant after the Church's purging centuries ago, but these rumors remain, as they have, it seems, since the Darkstep were reformed. Organizational Structure The Darkstep has always answered to an external master. In ages past, this was the Chief Hierophant of Heol. Since the Arathorian Conquest, this has been the Baron of Augustholm. Commander of the Darkstep The Commander of the Darkstep is an appointed position by the Baron of Augustholm, serving in essence as a spymaster for the barony, as well as a secondary military commander. This individual has total authority over both the Rangers and the Watchers. This individual is also the only member of the Darkstep whose identity is public record, as they are a member of the Baron's privy council. The Rangers This branch of Darkstep serves as elite guerrilla soldiers for the Barony of Augustholm. Clad in black leathers with the red clasp of the Darkstep on their cloaks, these men and women are said to move with unnatural speed, darting from tree to tree and unleashing hails of arrows from the shadows. Those that do not fall to their poisoned arrows or dancing blades will often fall prey to the marshes themselves when they try to give chase. The Rangers are organized roughly into the same hierarchy as other military organizations. '''Known Members: '''N/A The Watchers This branch of Darkstep contains the members of Darkstep whose names must never come to light: spies, infiltrators, saboteurs, and assassins. Augustholm has been especially secretive about this sect of Darkstep, often refusing to even divulge the number of active operatives in the organization. Commanders of the Darkstep insist the Watchers' activities are restricted to hostile entities - Horde factions and criminal syndicates - but one should know better than to trust a spymaster. '''Known Members: '''N/A Category:House of Saint-Auguste Category:Organizations